Today was not my day -- it was Savage's day, it is his birthday. This is part of his birthday present -- whatever he wants to do. The power tourist, ie me, is going to slack off. If he didn't want to do anything except sit at a sidewalk cafe - so be it, I would comply. Luckily that isn't the case. He is relaxed and easy going but he is not lethargic.
It was very enjoyable to wake up in a cave, I felt like Wilma Flintstone, but without Fred, Barney and Betty. The views of the Sassi in the morning were very interesting, no one was about. It didn't feel like a ghost town it felt more like a deserted town.
We had breakfast on tables that were bar height, ie my legs were dangling on the bar chairs. I had fruit, I think I am liking these pears. (This diet is working, I think I have lost at least 2 or 3 pounds -- walking in the sweltering heat and not eating bread or lots of sweets. I think my sugar levels have leveled out as well -- my doctor will be excited. Who would have ever thought 3 years of Weight Watchers and it takes a trip to Italy to get me serious about losing weight, shouldn't I be gaining weight on vacation?)
Savage said he was game for a tour of the Sassi -- shocker, but I think he really liked this little town. We went to the car to take stuff back and get more supplies from our luggage. On the way back, found a photography shop -- he needed another camera memory stick. They had a wicked old camera in there.
main square
wonder what he is thinking?
love those yellow pants
it was closed.....
We searched and searched for food -- no appetizing restaurants -- who would think it would be so hard to find a good place to eat in Italy. We finally ended up at the main building in the square -- it was an old building that had been renovated and the roof had a cafe/bar -- we could look out over the square. For 10 euros we ate and he had a coffee too. The building was fascinating -- it had the original facade but looked like a totally modern building on the inside.
Found the tourism office and discovered we were in such a “non” tourist town -- the tourist lady didn’t speak a word of English --- Wicked, I love to get off the beaten path! Had to make another stop on the way back to the hotel -- Savage wanted a haircut or a shave in his case.
I loved it.... barbershops are the same in every country. (My work neighbor for almost 10 years was an eighty year old barber and one of my favorite people in the world. I spent many a day visiting with him and sitting in that old time barber chair. -- Hi, Mr. Collins, welcome to Italy.) I think this was a bigger treat for me than Savage. As he was getting a #1 cut (7 euros) from the guy, I sat and tried to converse with the barber’s old man friend. The old coot couldn’t speak a word of English but how he tried. He spoke German and I knew a few words in each language -- Bitte. It was great fun. The barber had wonderful personality -- a green floor, purple shirt and a purple shoes -- is he a fan of Death Valley or what? Geaux Tigers.
Went back to the room for Savage’s obligatory 2 hour afternoon nap, I guess he is getting old. It was his birthday, I couldn’t complain and I got to catch upon on my journal while looking out at the Sassi. I gave him his actual gift that I had drug over from America -- a Super Bowl cap from the actual Super Bowl this year (Saints Rock) and some Vegas cards (I never got my game of 21 or poker). We planned our next two days -- a long drive north tomorrow -- could he handle it? But we had to get north and near Rome.
Our tour guide, Angela, arrived a little before 4:00 for our hike through the Sassi. She walked our butts off (mine at least) -- a few stairs in this town. Great tour of the area -- she knew her history. Saw the Sasso Caveoso, the oldest part, cave dwellers just like the Pueblo Indians. Then went to the Casa Grotta - an old house where they lived with a horse in the corner, chickens and pigs under the bed and kids in drawers. They kept horse manure in the next room for heating (WTH?) --- can we say smelly? (no actual manure in this little mini museum) Reminded me of a NYC tenement, but in NYC they didn’t have animals living with them. It was a one room house.
Next door was a wonderful old church/monastery with amazing icon frescos on the walls. They were deteriorating at a great rate. Had lots of green mold on the walls too -- manky. Savage was eating that place up -- took tons of photos (wasn’t supposed to take any). Wish I had a few of those photos. So much for following the rules. What is that quote -- Women who follow the rules rarely make history. Here women who follow the rules don’t get the photo shot of the day.
She took us up to the top of the Sassi and showed us where they used to bury people. They had moved the bodies when they cleared out the Sassi in the 1950’s -- yes, people lived in those tenement like rooms until the 1950’s -- no electricity etc. It’s a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Here’s a link to Matera -- it really was one of the most fascinating places I have seen in Italy:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matera
We ended up at the Cathedral which was directly across from our room and then got to see some of the stairways where they filmed the Mel Gibson movie (I guess I need to watch that one day).
Sites in the Sassi:
these little birds were symbols of engagement -- a bird?? get real
wished I had bought one of these
people can buy these places but they have to restore them to certain strict standards and restrictions but there are some modern touches
There is an important Italian book by Carlo Levi --Christ Stopped at Eboli -- it tells of the time in the poor area preWWII.
Our last stop was the main square, Angela told us how most of the town liked to congregate there on cool evenings -- it starts out with the old men, then the kids and then the older ladies. Savage’s favorite sedentary sport is people watching -- so we found a centrally located cafe and found a seat with a great view. And true to Angela's statement, the parade of locals showed up.
one of my favorite Italy photos
I think the pink shopping bag adds to it.
What a sunset!!
Young juvenile delinquents were filling water bombs up and the old men and women grouped up and visited. Interesting bag sites too, somethings are just so wrong on so many different levels. It appeared that it was graduation for a school here and people had come to see their families.
We had made a reservation at “Nadi”, it was recommended as one of the best local restaurants in the Sassi. But we had to clean up due to our 2 + hour hike that day. I even put on makeup -one of the first times on this trip- almost felt human because it was cooler out too.
The waitress had to read the menu to us and we ordered-- BBQ chicken (not Texas BBQ for sure), stripped meat (but thankfully it was not the horse meat that was on the menu), pumpkin chips, anti pasta and tris nadis bean soup - excellent, sweet peppers pasta and mushrooms, and to top it off -- ricotta cheesecake (quite tasty).
different bread basket
Went back to our cave :) very cool but the A/C was lacking. It might not have been my day but it was an awesome day nonetheless. Good Night Fred, Barney, and Betty. Hope he had a memorable birthday.
I might have brought a lot of stuff, but Savage had more style in his packing techniques.....
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